Adjustable front for pianos.



No. 690,|25. Patented Dec. 3|, I901. A. VOLLMAB. ADJUSTABLE FRONT FUR PIANOS.

(Application filed Sept. 13, 1895.)

(No Model.)

f v UNITED STATES P T NT OFFICE.

ADOLPH VOLLMAR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE FRONT FOR P IANOS.

V I I SPECIFICATION forming part of .Letters Patent No. 690,125, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed September 13, 1896. Serial No. 562,412. (No model.)

justable Fronts for Pianos and the Like, of 1 which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to devices for automatically moving the swinging front or rack of a piano or equivalent article or instru ment from and by the fall or cover for the keys or operating devices, the object of my invention being to simplify and improve the construction of devices ofthis nature.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of the upper front portion of a piano-frame with my device attached, and Fig. 2 is a similar View with the swinging front thrown forward into position to receive a sheet of music or a book.

In the drawings and specification, A indicates the piano-frame, whose rails a a,

swinging front B, key-block O, cloth strip D, Fshelf E, and fall F may be and.

preferably are of usual construction.

In the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration, H is a vertical rod or tube of suitable dimensions and material, loosely mounted in bearings in the horizontal front rails or a of the frame A andadapted to'actuate the swinging front B. The motion of the actuating-rod may be communicated to the swinging front or rack in various ways, the means illustrated comprising a cam band its cooperating'projection h, mounted in this instance upon the swinging front and rod, re- I I spectively, though this order of arrangement is not obligatory. The cam-bis preferably slotted at b to providefor the positive operation of the front or rack bothforward and backward, this being effected by the play in the slot of a projection h on the actuating-' rod, which projection, as herein illustrated, consists of a pin h, set in a collar it, made adj ustable on the rod by a set-screw h Downward'movement of the rod'in the present anrangement of the cam and its cooperating pin serves to bring the pin into operative engagement with the cam-surface b and thereby to force the front board or music-rack outward into the position shown in Fig. 2. Up-

' bracket end h ward movement of the rod carries the pin it against the opposite surface b of the cam, and in the arrangement shown the frontis positively returned to its normal closed position and there held, as indicated in Fig. 1. The downward motion of the actuating-rod, and consequently the advance of the front, in the present instance, is derived from the opening movement of the fall F, the construction and mode of operation of which varies in different makes, but which is herein illus-.

trated as of the common double form, jointed atf andhinged to the cloth strip D at f.

As one means of operatively connecting the fall and actuating-rod I have aflixed to the rear part of the fall and within the case an armor lever f shown as provided with a roller r and adapted to engage the outwardlyextended end 71 of abracket k on and near the lower end of the actuating-rod and beneath the bearing-rail a. This bracket is made adjustable upon the rodH by means of the set-screw h and is preferably bent or curved, as indicated, to clear the keys, &c.,

when, as oftenhappens, it becomes necessary to remove the entire part of the piano-front above the keyboard. The arm f may be provided with a spring-catch, as f to insure when the piano is in use the retention of the lever -arm at its lowest position, at which time the spring will enter a recess 0 or contact with the inner side of the key-block C, which is cut away at c to allow for thenecessary range of movement of the arm f and (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.)

When the fall is drawn over to cover the keyboard, the bracket h of the actuating-rod is released, and the return of the operating parts to normal position is effected by the tendency of the swinging front B to fall inward of its own weight. closure, however, I, have provided an auxiliary spring S,'shown as coiled about the rod H and fastened to the adjustable collar h" To insure complete thereon, the springbeing aflixed at its upper end to the bearing-rail a and normally tending to hold the rod-in its upper-most position,

as'shown in Fig; 1.

Any suitable means for connecting the fall and actuating-rod may be used, and my in- I vention is not limited to any specific form;

but I prefer to leave the arm f and bracket nish a bearing-surface.

end h entirely independent, as illustrated, in orderto ,guard against possible injury to the mechanism by carelessness or ineflioiency on the part of the piano-tuners, for by this arrangement after removal of the shelf E, as

usual, the removable front portion of the piano-frame may be tilted forward and lifted out in the ordinary manner, carrying with it the standard a the swinging front B, the rails a a, and the actuating-rod II, with its' bracket 71 spring S, &c., mounted on said rails, leaving only the independent fall and In the same manner the front, carrying with it the device, may be are i arm f in the case.

placed, as usual, and without requiring any special skill or knowledge by the operator of the mechanism.

To augment the rigidity of the rod H, the bracket k may have a flat extension at its inner end,.as ,at h and a block, as a, fastened to the frame, may be provided to fur- This, however, may be omitted, if desired, as may also the stop T, (best shown in Fig. 2,) the function of whose .recesst is to receive an extension of the pin 72 to preveutthe spring S from twisting the operating partsto an undesirable extent when the piano-front is removed.

I To avoid rattling, the parts are covered with fcltat the contacting points, as l 2 3 4 5 6.

Obviously my device may be utilized to throw forward the entire swinging front of anysuitably+constructed instrument orequivan actuating-lever therefor on the fall for .its swinging front and movable fall, of an actuating-rod vertically reciprocable in suitable bearings upon the frame and provided with a horizontal actuating-lug, a cam upon the swinging front adapted to be operatively engaged by the said log, a bracket upon said rod near its lower end and an actuating-lever therefor on the fall for moving the actuating-rod to operate the swinging front, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an actuating-rodand its bracket, a fall-arm to operate said bracket, and an antifrictionroller intermediate said bracket and fall-arm to diminish the friction therebetween and prevent accidental displacement of one relative to the other, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, an actuating-rod, a bracket thereon having its upper surface knife-edged, a forked fallarm to operate said bracket, and a frictionroller mounted in the .fork of said fall-arm and grooved to receive said edged surface to prevent accidental displacement of the said arm and bracket relative to each other,.sub stantially as described.

5. In a device of the class described, a frame, its swinging front and movable fall, a vertically-movable actuating-rod operatively connected with said swinging front, a bracket or offset upon said rod near its lower end, and a transmitting member intermediate the bracket and fall and adapted to be actuated by the latter to operate the former to move the swinging front, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPH VOLLMAR.

\Vitnesses:

J OHN O. EDWARDS, ALEX. O. PROUDFIT. 

